English for Business Communication Teacher's book (Cambridge Professional English PDF

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Summary

( • 5R Introduction IV Unit 8 The middle of the presentation Briefing 58 Module 1 Cultural diversity 1 Holding the audience's attention 58 and socialising 2 Structure (2) The main body 59 3 Listing information 59 Unit 1 Building a relationship 1 4 Linking ideas 61 Briefing 1 5 Sequencing 62 1 Cr...

Description

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Introduction

•

IV

Module 1 Cultural diversity and socialising Unit 1

Building a relationship

Briefing 1 Cross-cultural understanding ( I ) 2 Welcoming visitors 3 Small talk: keeping the conversation going

Unit 2

Culture and entertainment

Briefing 1 Cross-cultural understanding (2) 2 Inviting, and accepting or declining 3 Eating out

1 1 1 4 6 10 10 10 11 16

Unit 8

Briefing 1 Holding the audience's attention 2 Structure (2) The main body 3 Listing information 4 Linking ideas 5 Sequencing

Unit 9

Unit 3

Telephoning

Could I leave a message?

Briefing 1 Preparing to make a telephone call 2 Receiving calls 3 Taking and leaving messages 4 Asking for and giving repetition 5 The secretarial barrier

Unit 4

Good to hear from you again!

Briefing 1 Cross-cultural communication on the telephone (1) 2 Setting up appointments 3 Changing arrangements 4 Ending a call

Unit 5

Unfortunately there's a problem ...

Briefing 1 Cross-cultural communication on the telephone (2) 2 Problem-solving on th e telephone 3 Complaints

Module 3 Unit 6

18 18 19 20 23 24 27 27 27 29

32 33 36 36 36 36 38

Presentations

Planning and getting started

Briefing 1 Presentation technique and preparation 2 The audience 3 Structure (1) The introduction

Unit 7

]8

Image, impact and making an • • ImpreSSIOn

Briefing 1 Using visual aids: general principles 2 Talking about the content of visual aids 3 Describing change

43 43 43 45

46 50 50 50 SI SS

The end is near ... this is the end

Briefing 1 Structure (3) The end 2 Summarising and concluding 3 Questions and discussion

Module 4 Unit 10

Module 2

The middle of the presentation

Making meetings effective

Sorry to interrupt, but ...

Briefing 1 The structure of decision-making 2 Stating and asking for opinion 3 Interrupting and handling interruptions

Unit 12

What do you mean by ... ?

Briefing 1 Asking for and giving clarification 2 Delaying decisions 3 Ending the meeting

Module 5 Unit 13

61 62

65 65 65 66 6R

Meetings

Briefing 1 What makes a good meeting? 2 Chairing a meeting 3 Establishing the purpose of a meeting

Unit 11

5R 58 58 59 59

74 74 74 76 7R 83 83 83

84 86

91 9]

91 93

94

Negotiations

Know what you want

98 98 98

Briefing 1 Types of negotiation 2 Preparation for a negotiation 3 Making an opening statement

100 101

Unit 14

105

Getting what you can

Briefing 1 Bargaining and making concessions 2 Accepting and confirming 3 Summarising and looking ahead

Unit 15

Not getting what you don't want

Briefing 1 Types of negotiator 2 Dealing with conflict 3 Rejecting 4 Ending the negotiation

Optional case studies

105

105 107 109 112 112

112 112

115 117 119

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•

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This second edition provides improvements to the overall design and appearance of the book as well as various small changes and updating of material. The most important content change is the introduction of more practice exercises in response to users' requests. See the paragraph Quick Communication Check below.

Aims of the course The course is intended as an opportunity for intermediate-level students to develop confidence and fluency in five key communication contexts: socialising, telephoning, presenting information, participating in meetings and handling negotiations. The course has twin aims: improving communication technique and developing and consolidating the target language appropriate to the above communication contexts. A further key aim is the development of effective learning strategies for both language and communication skills. The teacher's role in this is critical. It is important that certain principles are upheld, such as the need for preparation of communication tasks, the importance of practice, and the need for linking the teaching objectives with perceived professional needs. The students should be encouraged to reflect on their own performance, to identify ways in which it can be improved, and to monitor both the accuracy of their language and the effectiveness of their communication skills. The course is primarily geared towards improving speaking and listening skills, though reading and writing tasks are also included. Part of the method for the development of fluency and confidence in speaking is the importance of involving students in as much discussion as possible. As a skills-driven course this is especially suitable, as students are encouraged to make their

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own suggestions based on their own experience, however limited. There is plenty of scope for eliciting students' ideas, impressions and opinions. Classes should be geared towards as much participation as possible. Everyone has experience of all five of the skill areas treated in the course, whether in English or in their own language.

Structure The five modules can be studied consecutively as a conventional course. However, with some students a module may be studied where specific training in one area of communication skills is required. There is, nonetheless, a certain logic in the order of the five modules. The first module, Socialising, is a scene setter. It establishes the teaching and learning approach used in the course. The second module, Telephoning, treats a fairly restrictive amount of language as is typical in telephoning. The third, Presentations, is in many ways the core of the course, as skills involved in presenting are often a feature of participating in meetings and negotiations. However, the more interactive nature of the latter two contexts is reflected in the nature of the material in the final two modules. These two, and the Presentations module, contain many recommendations for effective communication strategies and at the same time build up the students' repertoire in terms of language. The final module, Negotiations, is perhaps, un surprisingly, the most challenging in terms of language. In many ways, but partly because the language is more complex, effective study of the final module is dependent on having already dealt with the previous module on Meetings.

listening material

Reading texts

There are over 80 different recordings in the book. The tasks accompanying them range from initial general comprehension points to understanding important details. The first listening typically concentrates on meaning. Students are asked to identify key information. Check carefully that these main points are understood. It is important that meaning is established before students are asked to think about language. As a general rule, teaching aims should keep these two activities separate. The distinction should be made clear to the students and should influence students' developing learning strategies. The second listening task normally focuses on the target language for the unit in question. Encourage students to repeat what they hear and to make notes. Writing down new language normally aids recall, but not all students can be persuaded to do this. In any case, avoid slowing down lessons for excessive writing of models from the tape. Occasional writing - and even use of dictation - can be helpful. Some of the later listening material in the final module on Negotiations is more difficult than the earlier modules.

Throughout the book, certain principles relating to efficient reading techniques should be upheld. Explain that it is not necessary to understand every word. The objective is to understand the main ideas. Detailed reading or studying of texts is neither desirable nor is it required. The tasks accompanying reading texts mainly relate to the identification of key points and are designed to stimulate students' thoughts and ideas on the topics included.

Pronunciation work There is little overt treatment of pronunciation features in the course. However, it is an option to include this aspect of language training with this material. It is recommended that if you want to spend additional time to focus on features of phonology, the course does offer good, authenticsounding dialogues. These can be used to sensitise students to the implications of stress, intonation, pausing and thought groups. For further guidance on these aspects, see Speaking Clearly (Cambridge University Press, 1991).

language Checklists The Language Checklist at the end of each unit is a summary of some of the key language that has been introduced in the unit or that can be used in practice tasks and role plays. The Language Checklists are not prescriptive and offer only a sample of the sort of language that can be used. They are included as• a support to students, as a possible self-study resource and as quick reference material. Always check that students understand the phrases offered and that they are able to pronounce them correctly. Remind them that they can be selective, choosing the phrases they prefer, or even alternatives not included in the Checklists. The Checklists are useful in preparation for the role plays in each unit. Students should also refer back to previous Checklists when they need to.

Quick Communication Check Each unit now includes a page of exercises designed to offer an additional check on students' learning. The exercises reflect the target language in each unit, typically represented in Language Checklists. These exercises are desinged for selfstudy use, having an integrated answer key on each page. The Quick Communication Check thus serves as further practice, as consolidation, and as a simple test to check student's learning.

Skills Checklists

Timing

The Skills Checklists summarise the key points of technique for effective communication skills as introduced in each unit. In some cases, further points are included, either for discussion in class or as additional recommendations for students to think about in their own time. Like the Language Checklists, the Skills Checklists are intended as a source of reference for future work, especially in preparing for telephone calls, presentations, meetings or negotiations where the language used will be English.

Most units will take around three hours. Approximate recommended timings are given in the Teacher's Book for each section of each unit. Guide times include neither any material marked as optional nor the Transfer tasks. The latter require homework or out-of-class preparation. The times suggested are approximate and will vary according to the preferences and competence of the students involved, as well as student numbers. It is important not to labour the material. The tasks are intended to be fairly quick, but use your discretion. Clearly with extended role plays or where preparation is involved there may be some variation beyond the times suggested.

Transfer tasks In most cases the aim of the Transfer tasks is to have students practise target language in defined communication contexts that relate directly to their own immediate environment, their home, their studies or their work. In this way the Transfers aim to create a bridge between the classroom and the student's world .

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• Cross-cultural understanding (1) • Welcoming visitors

• Small talk: keeping the conversation • gOing

Briefing

1:1 situation

This module looks at issues relating to working with professionals from other countries where cultural misunderstandings may cause embarrassment. It relates closely to the later module on Meetings. This unit focuses on developing personal relationships and mutual understanding between business partners. Unit 2 looks more directly at socialising within a business context, invitations, entertaining, and eating out. The unit begins with an ice-breaker as a chance to develop small talk, before looking specifically at working with British and American people, together with suggestions on preparing for contacts with other countries. Knowledge and understanding is essential in order to get on well with one's partners from other countries. Socialising is instrumental in this: it is about

Many of the activities which lend themselves to discussion and brainstorming will require more support from you. Prompt and elicit thoughts from the student and feed in your own ideas and those included here. There are two role plays where you will need to take a part, as well as two dialogues based on flow charts where you will need to take the right-hand role in eventual practice. With more competent speakers, you may be able to add variations, thus increasing the need for spontaneity on the part of the student.

making relations. The second section deals with welcoming visitors and helping them to feel at ease. This theme is used as a lead-in to small talk, which is developed in the final section of the unit and again in Unit 2. Small talk is looked at in terms of various topics and how to keep conversation going. There is a lot of scope for discussion of students' own ideas in the unit. The Transfer includes an option on a small research project. Think about the extent to which your students may travel to other countries or are likely to receive visitors. This is important. In the latter case, discuss which aspects of the students' own country, town or culture might be interesting or unusual for a visitor.

Timing: 3 hours

1 Cross-cultural understanding (1) 1 Circulate the groups, prompting comment on the photograph. Different students will comment on different things, but draw out ideas on: • where it might be (country / hotel/factory / office, etc.) • why they are there (for a meeting / seminar / new venture / chance / tourism, etc.) • what kind of relationships are represented (friends / new business partners / same company, etc.) • topics of conversation (business/ nonbusiness, hobbies, interests, small talk such as weather, travel, plans, the hotel, travel, colleagues, other countries, etc. ) • what they won't be talking about ...

1

Cultural diversity and socialising

For five minutes, get groups of students to act out a typical situation as shown in the photograph. Join in yourself, exaggerating your speech patterns, encouraging a playful and humorous approach to the exercise. Then discuss issues arising from the illustration: • Humour. Ask to what extent humour enters into business relationships - or even jokes. In some countries, such as Britain, joking is often used to relieve tension. In others, such as Germany, that might be regarded as flippant or unprofessional. Sean O'Casey, the Irish playwright, said that the Irish turn a crisis into a joke and a joke into a crisis. • Women in business. In which cultures is this unlikely? Where are women having an increasingly prominent role in business? (Italy and the UK are examples, although less than 10% of company executives in the UK are women.) In some countries, despite legislation aimed at improving career opportunities for women, few reach the top (Norway, for example, although the field of politics is an exception) .. • Alcohol and business. In cultures where alcohol is taboo, this is, of course, not an issue. However, while it is not unusual to have a glass of wine or a beer with lunch in Europe, it is very bad form to drink too much. In Italy, a nation of wine drinkers, it is very unusual to drink outside meal times, whereas in Sweden it is not unusual to have a beer with colleagues after work. • Coffee. In many countries, coffee and business seem inextricably linked. Coffee seems to be what cements relationships, everywhere from Saudi Arabia to Argentina, via North America and Norway. • Tea. In China and Japan, tea is more popular. 2 After ten minutes' discussion of these issues to set the theme for the module, go on to the reading task. Ask students to read the text and quickly decide what is the main idea expressed in the text. Answer: Everybody is different. Signals mean different things to people of different cultures.

3 If necessary, allow a second reading to find the answers. a) Eye contact is important. Not maintaining eye contact indicates someone who is unfriendly, insecure, untrustworthy, inattentive and impersonal. But it is considered rude to stare. Americans signal interest and comprehension by bobbing their heads or grunting. b) Similar to Americans where eye contact is concerned. The English (sic)>' J OO}

Culture and entertainment

UNIT 2

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Cambrid ge U niversity Press 2003

15

UNIT 2

Cultural diversity and socialising

Role play 1

PATRICIA:

This is a simple role play that should require minimal preparation. It will help if you can provide copies of a local 'What's On' guide to entertainment in the area. Listen to students working and making notes on any language points. Provide feedback for the group as a whole. Choose a couple of pairs to perform their role play before the class.

SANDRA:

PATRICIA: SANDRA:

PATRICIA:

Timing: 15 minutes SANDRA:

3 Eating out

PATRICIA:

1 Divide the class into threes and have them

SANDRA:

brainstorm different phrases for each of the three functions indicated. WAITER:

2 Once they have done that for five minutes, redivide the class to make new teams of three consisting of individuals from each of the first three groups. Each new group compiles a list of possible phrases to complete the grid. •

PATRICIA:

WAITER:

Oh yeah, the venison's really good. Actually, I don't eat a lot of red meat, I'm...